Okay, I have three programs that were installed on my laptop without my knowledge or consent and I would like them gone. All three are those fake anti-virus protection scams. One is called Anti-malware Doctor. The second is called Security Suite.
One doesn’t seem to even claim a name. I can not get rid of them through the control panel, in safe mode or otherwise. As you probably know, system restore is not possible in safe mode. In regular start-up, one or all three of these programs is blocking system restore. If I attempt to open it it is closed instantly.
I will not wipe my hard drive, I have very important information on it that I need saved.
The way I see it, I have three options. Fix it, don’t use it, use it anyway.
Not using it would inconvenience me. I need my own functioning computer for school and work. Using it anyway will eventually have undesirable consequences, I am sure, and with all the fucking windows popping up it is an entirely unpleasant experience. Fixing it would be optimal.
So, how do I remove these harmful programs and keep everything else?
Thank you so much.
Ran the malwarebyte in safe mode, found stuff, deleted it, it said restart, did (not in safe mode) problems persisted. Ran mwb again in safe mode, found stuff (only three that time) deleted it, it said restart, did (not in safe mode) problems persisted. Running it for a third time, so far has not resolved my issues.
the third time it found two things, deleted them, did not tell me to restart, remained in safe mode. I am now running it for a fourth time, and I intend to continue to do so until it finds nothing upon finishing a scan. After that, if problems still persist, I will try the task manager thing someone suggested.
However, even if that works, I will still have two out of three to get rid of. :/
Thanks for all of the suggestions, I will just keep moving down the list with trial and error until one catches them all.
Got to the point where mwb in safe mode found nothing. Problems still persist, no improvement whatsoever. Tried the task manager thing. Right clicked on security suite, when to process, there was no option to locate file. Wtf now?